50% Caprese, 50% BLT, this BLT panini is 100% good.

This is sort of a hybrid panini. It’s a play on caprese, but theres Bacon, Lettuce (of sorts), and Tomato, so lets just go with BLT Panini with Pesto Aioli. No matter what you call it, this sandwich needs to be your next lunch.

B is for Bacon

Ahhh bacon, you never let me down. Who doesn’t like bacon. Even people who choose not to eat it still can’t deny that a slice of bacon makes everything better. When I eat it alone, I want a bit of chew, but on a sandwich like this where everything else is fairly soft, I make mine extra crispy. Simply starting it in a cold frying pan to allow plenty of time for the fat to render. The result is not the most attractive bacon, but it is undoubtedly the crispiest you’ll get without burning.

L is for lettuce

For the “lettuce” on this sandwich, I went with a 50/50 mix of baby spinach and arugula. I love the peppery taste that arugula has, and honestly wanted just that, but the market only had the mixed variety, and I think it worked great. Use whatever “lettuce” you want, basically, you’re just looking to add a bit of freshness and texture.

T is for tomato

Take one look at the Instagram feed of food bloggers right now, and you know without a doubt that tomato season is upon us. So in the spirit of celebrating this FRUIT/VEGETABLE, (yes, it’s considered both now, thank you Brittanica) I wanted to put it to use and make a panini that would be an easy lunch, and big on flavor. A BLT is anchored on the tomato, and the last thing you want is your tomato leaking out all it’s juices before you can eat it, so opt for a more meaty variety. I went with a type of heirloom called the Brandywine. 

C is for Cheese

BLTC.. ya, I know, I added the c. Because who doesn’t like cheese! A nice whole milk Mozzarella melting into toasty sourdough bread is something I think we can all get behind.

Really, its all about that Pesto Aioli

I tend to make excuses to whip up an aioli. “You know what I think would go great with this?” is a constant phrase heard around my house, and the answer is likely some sort of adult beverage, or an aioli. I had just made some fresh pesto, and thought it would be a crime not to combine it with mayo and slap it on this quickly evolving BLT..C.

Initially I set out to make a simple, quick panini, and admittedly, I got a little carried away. Ending up with a panini that is definitely big on flavor, and well worth the effort, but isn’t necessarily “simple”. It’s certainly not hard to make, and if you have pesto on hand already, slapping one of these sandwiches together is a breeze. You can always buy a jar of pesto at the store, but if you have 5 minutes to make your own it’s really easy, and is super versatile. Here’s the recipe for how I make mine: Easy Homemade Basil Pesto.

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I hope you enjoy this BLT Panini as much as I did! Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and if you’re happy with this recipe, give it a 5 star rating! Spread the love and share on social!